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Winemaker's Notes

This wine is crafted from the finest growers along Westside Road – Allen, Bacigalupi, Bucher, Rochioli Riverblock and the Williams Selyem Estate. The brilliant, red color is simply captivating. Floral notes of red rose and crushed rocks permeate the nose. The glass fills with red fruit driven by notes of cranberry, fresh strawberries and raspberries. With some air, deeper pitched aromas of Morello cherry penetrate the alluring aromatic profile. The nutmeg and allspice give way to a mineral-like finish, which is complemented by subtle vanilla flavors. The vivacious acids and long rich finish balance out this wine for cellar longevity.

Critical Acclaim

WE94

Wine Enthusiast - "The wine is always a blend of the winery’s best vineyards in the northern, warm section of the valley, including Allen, Rochioli Riverblock and Williams Selyem’s Estate. The 2012 is dry, tannic, delicately structured and mouthwateringly tart, with cranberry, raspberry, cherry, sandalwood and dried herb flavors. Enjoy it now and through 2018. "

ST92

International Wine Cellar - "Dark ruby. Pungent smoke- and spice-accented aromas of raspberry, cherry-cola and zesty minerals. Offers vibrant red fruit and candied rose flavors, with a touch of bitter blood orange adding focus and grip. Shows the urgency of a cooler vintage but with the depth of fruit one expects from wines made from this area. Finishes silky and long, with resonating minerality and excellent spicy persistence."

Williams Selyem Winery

Williams Selyem Winery began as a simple dream of two friends, Ed Selyem and Burt Williams, who pursued weekend winemaking as a hobby in 1979 in a garage in Forestville, California, and made their first commercial vintage in 1981. In less than two decades, Burt and Ed created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Together they set a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking in the United States, aligning Sonoma County's Russian River Valley in the firmament of the best winegrowing regions of the world. Today John and Kathe Dyson, who purchased the winery from Burt and Ed in 1998, carry on the passion for Pinot Noir winemaking without compromise. As for the wines... they just keep getting better and better.
View all Williams Selyem Winery Wines

About Russian River

The Russian River Valley is named as such due to its proximity to the Russian River, the river itself named for the Russian fur traders who came down from Alaska in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Russian River is agricultural land. While there is a focus on wine, beyond the vineyards are many small, family-owned farms cultivating everything from cattle to Christmas trees.

Notable Facts

The proximity of this cool river and the rolling fogs from the Pacific Ocean make the area amenable to cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fact, the region is quite known for its full-bodied, yet elegant Pinot Noir, as well as their ripe, yet lean Chardonnays. Within Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. Chalk Hill is the warmer of the two and furthest from the ocean, while Green Valley is cooler and closer to the water.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.